20 Tattooed Brides with Modern Style

Whether you're covered in tattoos, have a prized few or just one that was a drunken mistake in college, chances are you're wondering what you should do about them on your wedding day. You could wear a dress that conceals your body art, or you could just flaunt it! After all, your wedding is about celebrating the two of you, who you are, and the new life you are starting together.

Why not embrace the beauty, and wear your ink as modern accessories? Here are 20 brides from Pinterest and our real weddings that we think sport their tattoos with particular style and aplomb.

Do you pride yourself on your originality? Then, most likely, your tattoos aren't going to be the only "unconventional" detail of your wedding day. These brides opted to pair their tattoo sleeves with bold, non-traditional wedding dresses in a dainty shade of pink (above and below)!

While the bride below chose to wear a simple sleeveless wedding dress to show off her wolf tattoo, she also changed into a bright yellow dress and aqua necklace for her reception look. The colors coordinate beautifully with the background of her tattoo.

But, yes, you can absolutely wear a traditional wedding dress and put your pretty ink on full display!

These two brides (above and below) opted for sweet, feminine dresses and minimal jewelry so that the colors on their arm could really pop!

So you have a full sleeve? If your groom does too, make sure that you both show off these designs. You didn't sit in that chair for hours on end for nothing! We think tattoos look especially cool when juxtaposed with a textured fabric (such as lace or pleats) in a simple silhouette (below).

If you love the idea of showing off your tattoos on your wedding day, also make sure to talk to your photographer about taking a few portraits that highlight them. Heavily-detailed, bold tattoos look amazing in black and white shots like the one below, where you can really see each individual leaf on the bride's shoulder.

You can also use your tattoos as inspiration for your wedding color palette. Clearly, you like these colors already. So, if you've got a bunch of reds and blues on your skin, design your wedding around you! We love how the bride's bouquet below coordinates with the same hues in the floral art on her arm and back.

Many brides love the look of a shrug with a strapless sweetheart neckline. This bride below can have the look without buying one! Particularly if you are heavily tattooed, find a dress that will create flattering shapes with the existing ink.

Brides who want to show off tattoos on their upper back or shoulders also need to be conscious about their wedding hair. Find a cool updo that fits your style and allows your tattoo to be visible.

This bride's updo with baby's breath seemingly mirrors the tattoo in between her shoulders (below).

Have a tattoo a bit lower on your back? Find a backless gown (above) or simply a strapless one that falls low enough for the entire design to be seen!

Ribcage tattoos have been all the rage over the last few years. A deep, backless dress with delicate jewelry can perfectly accent your tattoo (below).

Many brides with tattoos don't have extreme body art, but rather one or two simple pieces. The bride's wrist tattoo (below) is highlighted with a high gold bracelet. Like the chains above, find a great accessory to draw attention to and incorporate your tattoo into your entire wedding look.

Not all brides want to show off their tattoos as a priority. It could be that you don't like your tattoos anymore, or it could be that you've found a dream dress that happens to cover them. One detail that we particularly like is sheer lace which allows the tattoos' colors to peek through, enhancing the pattern of the lace while obscuring the intricacies of the actual tattoo.

The bride above is one of our very favorites from our real weddings. As you can see, she has incredible style, from her violet streaks to her nude Edwardian lace wedding dress. This thicker lace turns her tattoos into a myriad of peek-a-boo colors.

Below, this bride's lace is a bit sheerer, so you can see the outlines and shapes of her tattoos more clearly.

Of course, with today's emphasis on statement backs, you can easily find a dress that combines sleeveless style and lace, like the modern bride below.